The first time a young person usually gets from under their parents wings is when/if they go to college.

If you are so fortunate to attend college (or university), you may find the freedom and opportunities you are offered to be overwhelming. You are exposed to people and ideas that you had never been exposed to previously. And it can be a tremendous learning experience, not just academically, but socially.

At least, that is how most students get to experience college. What if you have the added burdens that come from being transgender?

Back when I was at university, in the prehistoric days, transgender students were not even a blip on anybody's radar. The first flush of activism had emerged in the aftermath of the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, and introduced the majority of cis Americans to the issues of gay rights and inclusion. But the specific plight of the transgender community remained far down the list of concerns raised.

For better and for worse, the transgender community has gotten much more attention in recent years. And at the same time we are experiencing unprecedented push-back and legalized discrimination, many organizations, businesses, and schools have made outreach attempts to us.

A young transgender person thinking of going on to college now, not only has to consider the courses and social opportunities at a given school of higher education, but also how they will be received once they are on campus.

In may day, we simply remained closeted. Any outward sign that we were trans was hidden, or tamped down. I pushed the limits myself by wearing satin and sequins-bedazzled clothes to class. But other than that middle finger to cis conventionality, I kept my inner self under wraps.

Today, thankfully, incoming freshman can openly express their gender identity and preferred pronouns. And fear of legal ramifications prevents most other students and university faculty from voicing their biases and bigotry.

But it still exists. And although it isn't officially recognized by the school's themselves, their outreach to their trans students is a revealing indicator of what the trans student can expect once enrolled.

With that understanding, I have put together a list of Michigan colleges and universities offering resources for their transgender students.

In many cases, transgender resources fall under the larger umbrella of LGBTQ offerings. We are still a blip on the radar of many.

You will see that I also noted which institutions only have "Limited" resources. Those are the school's which make only a hand-wave at acknowledging their trans students by directing them to off-campus groups and organizations. That way they can pretend to be welcoming, while not actually welcoming any trans resources themselves.

I have also noted the schools that do not offer any trans resources at all. Most of these are either private or religious schools, which do not have to abide by the same rules as public institutions. Something a transgender student may want to consider before enrolling at any of them.

If you see any mistakes I have made, or changes to a particular school's transgender resources designation, please let me know.

This list will be made into a sticky post for future reference.

--- Anni ⚧️

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Adrian College: No resources.

Albion College (Albion): [Limited] https://www.albion.edu/offices/anna-howard-shaw-center-for-gender-equity/resources/

Alma College: https://www.alma.edu/about/offices-services/diversity-and-inclusion-at-Alma-College/lgbtq-resources/

Alpena Community College (Alpena): No resources.

Andrews University (Berrien Springs): No resources.

Aquinas College (Grand Rapids): No resources.

Baker College (Owosso): [Limited] https://guides.baker.edu/c.php?g=1053555&p=7677729

Calvin University (Grand Rapids): [Limited] https://calvin.edu/student-organizations/sexuality-and-gender-awareness

Central Michigan: https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/office-lgbtq-services-gender-equity-programs/trans-at-cmu

Concordia University (Ann Arbor): No resources.

Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids): No resources.

Davenport University (Grand Rapids): [Limited] https://my.davenport.edu/campus-life/student-affairs

Detroit Mercy College: [Limited resources] https://www.udmercy.edu/academics/academic-affairs/oeo/resources-spaces.php

Eastern Michigan: https://www.emich.edu/dei/centers-programs/lgbtrc/index.php

Ferris State: https://www.ferris.edu/administration/president/DiversityOffice/lgbtq-center/index.htm

Grace Christian University (Grand Rapids): No resources.

Grand Rapids Community College: https://www.grcc.edu/students-resources/student-life-leadership/get-help/lgbtq-resources

Grand Valley State: https://www.gvsu.edu/lgbtrc/trans-resources-207.htm

Henry Ford College: https://www.hfcc.edu/news/2021/hfc-services-and-resources-lgbtq-students-and-employees

Hillsdale College (Hillsdale): No resources.

Hope College: https://hope.edu/offices/title-ix/resources/lgbtq-resources.html

Jackson College (Jackson): No resources.

Kalamazoo College: [Limited] https://lgbtqaiplus.kzoo.edu/campus-resources/

Kettering University (Flint): No resources.

Kuyper College (Grand Rapids): No resources.

Lake Michigan College (Benton Harbor): [Limited] https://www.lakemichigancollege.edu/mylmc/local-resources

Lake Superior State University: No resources.

Lansing Community College: https://libguides.lcc.edu/c.php?g=1232678&p=9020708

Lawrence Tech: https://www.ltu.edu/lgbt-resource-center--home

Madonna University (Livonia): No resources.

Michigan State: https://gscc.msu.edu/trans-msu/index.html

Michigan Tech: https://www.mtu.edu/diversity-center/student-communities/lgbtqia/

Monroe County Community College: https://www.monroeccc.edu/gsa

Northern Michigan: https://nmu.edu/seec/lgbtq

Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City): https://www.northwestern.edu/gsrc/

Oakland Community College: [Limited] https://www.oaklandcc.edu/news/press-releases/pridemonth2022

Oakland University: https://oakland.edu/gsc/

Rochester Christian College (Rochester Hills): [Limited] https://rcu.edu/student-life/student-activities-and-organizations/

Saginaw Valley State: [Limited] https://librarysubjectguides.svsu.edu/c.php?g=597695&p=4138382

Schoolcraft College (Livonia): [Limited] https://www.schoolcraft.edu/idea/training-resources/community-groups/

Siena Heights: No resources.

Spring Arbor (Spring Arbor): No resources.

University of Michigan (Ann Arbor): https://spectrumcenter.umich.edu/

• U of M (Dearborn): https://umdearborn.edu/center-social-justice-and-inclusion/lgbtq-um-dearborn?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2u2C4-mkiQMVlFpHAR1tgTxREAMYAiAAEgIUUvD_BwE
• U of M (Flint): https://www.umflint.edu/cgs/lgbtqia-support/

University of Olivet (Olivet): No resources.

Washtenaw Community College: https://www.wccnet.edu/succeed/lgbtqia/resources.php

Wayne State: https://omse.wayne.edu/about/resources/lgbtq

Western Michigan: https://wmich.edu/lbgt/trans-resources